Decode
by RedCheckerz
Summary: The Enterprise arrives at a seemingly familiar planet, but it turns out it's more foreign than assumed. But unfortunately for Kirk and Spock, that fact comes too late. They have to face someone Kirk never thought he would see again, and what he had become
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: Just in case the owners wander around fanfiction sites looking for stories without this statement, I don't own Star Trek or any of its characters or devices... [Sadly]...

* * *

**Prologue**

He could barely see, and completely helpless to the piercing and intense commotion transpiring around his body. Helpless.

…_So many people…all the colors…blue, yellow, red… those are the primary colors… the colors of the people on the Enterprise… I never noticed how beautiful they look… Not that I could ever notice… My job wouldn't allow me to notice… No… I never allowed myself to notice…to simply enjoy something so obivious… I was always that way…and I was proud of it too…funny, it doesn't seem anything to be proud of now…what do I have to be proud of now?_

He saw a familiar face hover over him, it was almost like staring into a mirror. Almost.

_Those eyes…they make me feel…warm…my reflection was never that amorous…the eyes that stared back at me were always…cold…dead…but that was easy to ignore…especially when there was nothing to compare them to…this…abomination…had been a nuisance since the day he showed up…_

He observed the face that looked over his motionless body, incomprehensible concern shined clearly in his eyes. Incomprehensible.

_I am almost embarrassed for you…its like you aren't even bothering to hide it…you have been hiding it…no…you have been fighting it all your life…fighting…all this war…pain and suffering…this war seems pointless now…in the beginning, I had such high hopes…a tingling pleasurable feeling…happiness? Perhaps it was determined by some high power that I should not be exposed to that feeling for too long…happiness…even now…it eases the pain…fascinating…how simple feelings…_

He then watched the world go silent, but he could hear the ceaseless movement flowing around him. Ceaseless.

_Everything is so…blurred…it feels like a blink of my eyes will bring everything back into focus… but I cant even blink my eyes now…I am so pathetic…what would my subordinates think? … I know what I would think…I would laugh at myself…saying that 'he had it coming'…which I did… I deserve this…no…I don't… is this really what I get for trying to make a difference? …that is all I wanted…peace…happiness for all…what happened to that?_

He felt an overpowering surge of emotion take him, but his physical body couldn't muster up the energy to act on them. Overpowering.

…_Things have changed… I wondered what would have happened if he didn't show up that one day…maybe I would be still working…doing my job… work…ha…people didn't know the meaning of the word… not until…that one day…it was my fault…millions…no…billions of lives lost…planets consumed…families torn apart…so much pain…suffering…death…so much…death…pointless…death…all my…fault…blame…my fault…why? …death…pointless…me_

He started to lose vision, he managed to see the face stare at him dead in the eyes with that incomprehensible concern. Dead.

* * *

A/N: Okay anybody want to guess who these two are? Special prizes if you get it correct! Haha, not really but I am interested if it's clear or…not so clear…Anyway, this tidbit is just a part from an idea I have floating around in my head. Not sure if I should pursue this idea or not, but I figure I will anyway since I need to write more and TOS is just so addictive. Anyway, I am sure everything will make more sense and whatnot after the first chapters…then good ole fashion sci-fi drama and action! Comments and criticism is always welcomed since I enjoy people's opinions and still have buckets to learn.


	2. Rough Start

A/N: Okay, so i forgot to mention that the segment before was a prologue! So if you are confused, you should be. My apologies! I am a tidbit forgetful. And no one has guessed the two characters yet. Even though it has been close! But still, no Yahtzee...yet! Tehehe, okay on with the boring beginnings and whatnot.

Disclaimer: Star trek copyrighted to rightful owners!

* * *

"This is a lovely planet you have here," said Captain James T. Kirk of the USS Enterprise. His words were surrounded with a formal charm that was infamous to the captain. He gave a slight friendly nod toward the group of humans and humanoids gathered five feet in front of the landing party. They smiled and looked at each other shyly, as if afraid to accept the compliment from Kirk.

"True, it is hard to find such diversity on one planet," agreed Spock. He observed thirty-two different species; however, he noted that there were no Terran males. And furrowed his brow at this odd speculation, but quickly realized that because the landing party had not seen any human men did not necessarily mean that there were none altogether. But it was illogical to assume anything and questioned the smiling group, "But if you don't mind me asking, where are the Earth men?"

There was a moment of tense silence.

The members of the group cowered away from Spock, either looking away or staring down at the ground. They mistook Spock's serious questions as disapproval and spite of their lifestyle. The Vulcans that lived on the planet had not adopted logic as a way of life and were much more emotional than regular Vulcans. This group saw Spock as an oddball. Emotions seemed so natural to everyone there on the planet, they believed that Spock's emotionless behavior expressed disgust.

Spock sensed the certain fear he placed in the group and found it illogical. Even though Spock had not made any actions that demonstrated animosity, they were frightened of him and found it hard to make prolonged eye contact. But he was smart enough to realize that they were afraid of him because he was different. He almost let a sigh escape. _This has happened on numerous occasions beforehand, why should it suddenly stop now? _Spock questioned himself, almost like he was reasoning with the oncoming twinge of heartache. _However, it seems unlike this certain group of species to judge each other. I do not see why I am the exception… _

Kirk could plainly see the effect Spock had on the people in front of them. He glanced at McCoy, who looked at him uneasily. He quickly repeated the question in hopes to ease the tension. "Yes I myself am curious to why I haven't seen any human males around."

"There aren't any, Captain."

"Why?"

"They all died."

"What happened?" McCoy asked before Kirk could have a chance to speak.

"We…aren't sure. When we first arrived here, we had many adventurous young men willing to colonize the planet with the rest of us…But none of them lived past the first week upon arrival."

"They all… just died?"

"Yes, Doctor."

"Do you know what killed them?"

"No, Sir."

Kirk was dismayed about the news of the dead Earth men, but also instantly curious to the cause of their destruction. He gently tapped McCoy and Spock on the arm signaling them to follow him. Kirk moved outside of hearing distance of the others before he huddled with his first officer and medical doctor.

"McCoy, what do you make of it?" Kirk curiously asked.

"Well, it's hard to say what killed the men without examining the bodies, Jim." McCoy answered.

"That would be impossible now, Doctor." Spock added.

McCoy rolled his eyes at Spock's obvious statement, continuing his speculation, "Since the men died within the first week, it couldn't have been the food because they arrived with half a year worth of supplies. There was slim chance they could have domesticated any of the plants or animals in a week either."

Spock nodded, "Yes, I agree. The planet's environment is harsh but delicate. There can be two contrasting landtypes in a small given area. For example, a desert can be located within miles of tundra. This provides extreme delicacy when trying to domesticate-"

"Yes, Spock, we know! We have been observing the same planet you have!" McCoy interrupted.

Spock straightened up his body, pulling back his shoulders like he had taken offense. Kirk threw McCoy a glance and then spoke with a harsher tone to grab the two back to the current problem, "What about the men?! What happened to…the men?"

"If it wasn't something they ingested, then it must have either been something they came into contact with or something they inhaled. But the odds of all the men coming into contact with the same thing are a thousand to one." McCoy answered.

"Doctor, the odds of all the men coming into contact with the same thing would be 821.489 to one." Spock corrected.

McCoy sighed. "In any case, it is more likely it was something on this planet that they inhaled that caused them to die."

"But why the men? Why did only the Earth men die?" Kirk asked.

"It means that the disease was stimulated by something only Earth men possess…something that is unique to them…" McCoy trailed off in his thoughts.

Kirk and Spock glanced at one another, unsure where this conversation was going. There was a few seconds of awkward silence, then McCoy suddenly outbursted, "Testosterone!"

Kirk and Spock were violently pulled from their thoughts and thrusted into a whole new situation. McCoy's outbreak only bred more confusion in Kirk, "But testosterone is not exclusive to Earth males, Bones."

"True, Captain," Spock intervened, "But testosterone is present in high quantities in earth males. In fact, the male body produces about forty to sixty times more testosterone than an adult female body."

"But...females have testosterone, and so do many other species. I don't see how that is significant." Kirk said, establishing he was still confused.

"Jim, human males have a very high quality of testosterone for their muscle mass compared to other species. If a Vulcan had the same testosterone in his body, then they could look like the Incredible Hulk with pointed ears! The reason we don't look like that is because our bodies limit how much testosterone is naturally exposed. This is necessary to make sure there is a balance between speed and agility of the body." McCoy explained.

"So…testosterone is what killed these men?" Kirk asked, sounding ridiculous

"Captain. I believe what Doctor McCoy is trying to say is that the testosterone might have caused some reaction with a certain factor that resulted in their death. Which I must say, is highly illogical to assume that it is the one thing that triggered a reaction. There could have been multiple characteristics or factors that result in these men's death. And we do not have the information at the moment that is suffient to come to a reasonable conclusion." Spock calmly suggested.

McCoy threw Spock a cold glance, "You know, not everything can be found out by-!"

"Gentlemen! Enough!"

Kirk's brow furrowed, revealing that he was not satisfied with Spock's or McCoy's answers thus far. But he could not stay on the planet to investigate something that was not a threat to any species inhabiting the planet now. The Enterprise's mission was to check on the colony's progress and replenish supplies, which they had completed. He started to slowly walk away while reaching in his pocket to grab his communicator. He flipped it open and sternly said, "Kirk to Enterprise. Come in Enterprise."

"Scot here."

"Scotty, prepare transporter to beam up landing party. Kirk out."

Kirk flipped the communicator closed and walked back over to the group of the inhabitants. He spoke with a calm and even voice, masking his previous dismay, "Well, me and my crew must be leaving you now."

The group seemed saddened at the news, which was not surprising, since the moment they arrived they were treated with the most extravagant and welcoming manner. One human female approached Kirk and presented him with a present in her hands. He smiled and politely accepted the small box, too preoccupied with his own thoughts to open it.

"Ready to beam up now."

And the landing party slowly dissipated from the planet and resembled in the transporter room, coming face-to-face with a smiling chief engineer.

"How was the Enterprise while we were gone, Scotty?" Kirk inquired.

"I had no trouble, Sir." Scotty replied. "If ya don' mind me askin', what do ya got there?"

Kirk looked down in his hands and remembered the small box. He decided that replying that he did not know was not commendable. He was also interested, so he opened the box. The contents brought a wave of annoyance through Kirk, but he smiled at his own silliness. The rest of the landing party gathered to look into the box, and each had his own reaction.

"Spock…Contact Lt. Uhura…Tell her I have a present for her." Kirk pulled out a cooing fuzzball.

It was a tribble.

* * *

"AHHHHHHH!!!!"

The door to sickbay swished open and a redshirt stumbled into the room grabbing at his head. McCoy rushed to the young man's side, "Ensign Ricky, what's wrong?!"

Ensign Ricky just screamed and looked at McCoy with frantic eyes, pleading him to help. McCoy knew that look; he had met many patients with _that_ look. He knew the desperation that was growing within that young man; something was causing him to suffer faster than he could understand, and he knew that the only person who could help him was standing in front of him. McCoy _knew_ that he was this kid's hope.

That was something he did not take lightly.

"Nurse Chapel!" McCoy summoned her to help him move Ensign Ricky to an examining table and he scanned over the young man's body with his medical unit, worry growing every second in his eyes. "Bring me a sedative! This man is in great pain!"

"Yes, sir" Chapel ran into another room and then brought back a silver tube, handing it to McCoy. He injected the sedative into Ensign Ricky's arm. But the screaming continued, and McCoy had to hold the ensign down to the table. The screaming abruptly stopped and the sickbay was once again quiet. But it was not a peaceful silence, it was eerie. Finally the ensign grabbed McCoy by the shirt and looked him in the eyes, silently begging him for help. Then he let go and fell with a harsh thud back onto the table. Nurse Chapel was standing behind the doctor with her hand covering her mouth.

He was dead.

* * *

"Oh, Captain! I love it! Where did you find it?" Lt. Uhura kindly asked, stroking the new tribble.

"It…was a present…" Kirk replied almost with a twinge of regret. He quickly added, "I will not allow for this ship to be taken over by those things again, do you hear? Do not feed this one!"

Uhura only gently petted the cooing creature.

"I mean it!" Kirk said sternly.

"Oh…yes sir!" Uhura quickly snapped out from her trance of petting a tribble.

"Okay, very well…" Kirk stumbled to his captain's chair, barely missing a collision with Spock on his way. Kirk thought that his headache was brought on by the arrival of yet another tribble. But his headache was becoming more of a problem, it was expanding through his body.

"Captain, are you okay?" Spock asked.

Kirk stared at nothing for a moment, and then slowly turned to look at Spock. His head was spinning, and he felt controlling his body was becoming a more difficult task by the minute. He smiled as to add the assurance to the words he was not sure about himself, " I…am fine…"

Spock's reply was quick compared to Kirk's sluggish answer, "Captain, you do not appear to be fine."

After several long seconds, Kirk nodded and considered Spock's words. He gave a weak laugh, "Perhaps you are right…Mr. Spock, I will…be in my quarters."

He stood up too fast, causing himself to loose balance and stumble into Chekov. The young Russian helped him regain his balance giving him a concerned look, and the rest of the bridge provided the same worry. Kirk apologized and then tried to make it to the elevator once again.

"Jim, it is my professional opinion that you should report to Doctor McCoy right away." Spock calmly suggested, but the rest of the company knew that even he was concerned.

"I don't suppose I can argue with a Vulcan, can I?" Kirk smiled weakly. "Okay, notify Doctor McCoy that I am on my way."

Spock nodded and walked over to the intercom, but right before he was about to press the call button, a familiar voice announced, "Sickbay to bridge"

"Spock here."

"Where is Jim? Wait, that doesn't matter. Tell him to come and see me right now!"

"Why the urgency, Doctor?"

"Two men from the landing party just came in here…"

"That sounds-"

"They are dead."

Spock glanced at the captain, his tone becoming more serious, "Dead? Why?"

"I am not sure…but I think whatever those men died from on the surface has infected us."

The bridge became dead silent.

"That seems logical to assume. The captain is on his way."

"Spock, I need to see you too."

"Doctor, I am not-"

"You are half-human! And Damn it, I will not be blamed for a death on error of my part! You will be examined too."

Spock straightened up, he didn't like McCoy's outburst at him and thought about arguing with McCoy, but he didn't want to delay the captain any longer. "Very well. The captain and I are on our way."

Spock left the intercom and walked over to where Kirk stood. Spock waited for Kirk to continue walking, but he just stood there looking confused. He glanced at Spock then glanced back down, "Mr. Spock…"

Spock recognized Kirk's silent desperate plea for assistance. He quietly put his arm around Kirk's waist, allowing for the captain to put most of his weight on him. The two hobbled to the elevator, but on the way, Kirk thanked Spock under his breath. Spock simply said, "Do not stress yourself over such a small action, Jim."

Kirk smiled and thought, _Actions speak louder than words... And your words can't undermine your kind actions._

* * *

McCoy walked over to his desk. In the other room, Kirk and Spock waited for the results and medical analysis of the doctor. McCoy stared grimly at his medical examination of himself and Kirk. _We are both dying…our body systems are slowing down…and simple tasks are becoming more diffucult. _

He heard Kirk and Spock murmuring in the other room and called, "You two can put your shirts back on."

"Do you have the results, Doctor?"

It was not a question he wanted to answer. He never did get comfortable with the idea of being the bearer of bad news or death. But withholding information was no option, either, especially when it was Kirk and Spock who demanded it. He wanted both to be able to march out into the other room, tell his friends that they were dying and to run away and hide under a rock. Then he realized that it wasn't the idea of telling them that they were dying buthe knew that he didn't have the answer. _That _was the reason fear was growing in him.

It was up to him to find a cure that he didn't have.

Or he will be the death of himself and his two closest friends.

"Bones?"

"Yeah, I-"

A sharp beeping noise interrupted McCoy in midsentence. The doctor ran into the room with Kirk and Spock, who were rushing to put their shirts back on. The red alert was blinking above the door, teasing Kirk with every blink. It was taunting him with unknown danger. He walked over to the intercom, but McCoy put his arm in his way, holding him back. "Jim, maybe you should sit down."

Kirk hesitated, contemplating arguing with McCoy, but he knew that was a fight he would lose in his current state. McCoy looked over his shoulder at Spock, "Spock, you should go to the bridge. Jim needs to stay though."

Spock grew slightly uncomfortable and asked the question everyone around him seemed to be avoiding, "Doctor, what is wrong with the captain?"

McCoy was under intense pressure.

He was a doctor.

His patients were dying.

He had no answer.

Any scientific man could see that and surely, the first officer knew more than him.

That pointy-eared bastard knew.

He knew.

He wanted him to feel his inferiority.

His incapability.

His failure.

He snapped.

"Spock! 'The captain' is dying! Everything in his body will eventually stop working, and oh, yes it will be painful! All his body systems will fail but his nervous system will be one of the last to go! Do you know what that means, Spock?! Oh, of course, the first officer of the Enterprise knows! He knows that means that 'the captain' will feel his body dying, every last organ, every last tissue! And the pain will be so intense that there is no sedative I can give him that will be able to numb it! But of course, the first officer knows that! His logic never fails him! But his logic can't stop death, no no no! You will still die like everyone else! So it seems you aren't as superior as once believed! And to top it off, your only true friends will be dead! You will die one of the most horrible deaths there is to imagine! You will be all alone! With only your logic to keep you company! Are you happy now?!"

The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them.

McCoy regretted the moment he spoke. It wasn't him talking; it was the insecurity taking over. But insecurity or not, the words were still spoken. They were harsh, cold, insensitive words that could pierce any heart.

They did.

Spock was taken aback at the outburst, but he kept a straight face. "I…regret that you feel that way, McCoy. But I am positive your hard work will provide us with an answer before it is too late. I imagine the emotions of watching your friend die are intense. And not having an answer as to why, must be intimidating. But I do not think this is the time for emotional outburst."

McCoy looked at Spock with gentle eyes, _Spock, you act calm but your eyes give you away. You don't imagine the emotions, you FEEL them. You and Jim are very close. His death would be hard for you to handle, too. And if I die along with Jim, then who will be there for you? You still have a lot to learn, and who has the patience to adjust to your ways. The crew had a hard time adjusting to your ways. I imagine any other humans would have the same problem. Even you must have your limits, even you must get tired of the cold looks and the accusations…_

"Spock, I am-"

"Doctor, I believe I will take my leave to the bridge. I am needed there, and you are needed here."

"Alright." McCoy waved a hand directing him towards the door.

Spock hesitated for a half second, there was a nagging feeling that told him he should stay and comfort his friends. But the blinking red light tested his logic. _I am needed on the bridge, my presence is best served there logically. _

Logic did not allow him to stay.

* * *

A/N: Okay, so we havent really gotten into the action yet. That comes in the next chapter, along with what set off the red alert and you get to meet our mystery character! And more tribbles?! W00t! I wish I had the next chapter finished, because it only gets better from there. But i shouldn't give too much away yet. I will not be able to update for a couple of weeks because I will be out of town without internet service. Awful, i know. But I promise to make up for it when I get back. Until then!


	3. Supermassive Black Hole?

A/N: Okay, first off, let me say HUZZAH I'M BACK!! I honestly hated being away from a computer for 3 whole weeks [such a nerd i know]. But I do have some good news, I have outlined the first 17 chapters of this story so i can at least promise you that much, and for you people who hate it, then you will have to endure it for another 15 chapters! Muha! But i actually like where this story is going so i think i will be finishing it, and i will post it up here only if you guys want to continue reading.

And secondly, i want to thank all of you who have left your comments! There is nothing more i enjoy reading, and for those of you with questions, i will be answering them shortly! Anyways, you arent here to listen to me babble so on with the story!!

* * *

The halls of the Enterprise were bustling with crewman running from place to place, all trying to reach their posts. The red alert usually promised a rough ride half of the time, but it always promised chaos. That blinking light taunted the crewmen like a jockey urging a racehorse, causing them to move faster and quicker than the previous second. Spock moved agilely through the oncoming traffic of his own shipmates, carrying a clam disposition plastered on his face. He knew humans were creatures that became highly sensitive in emergencies, and panic only breeds more panic for them. But as he looked at the faces passing him, he realized how well his shipmates were acting; they performed with a logical foundation that only a Vulcan could appreciate. He found himself with a growing admiration for his crew, and it motivated him to work harder for their sake and the Captain's. _The Captain._ That thought slapped him like a large palm across his face. He remembered McCoy's oppressive words, which shouted at him like McCoy's outburst.

'_The captain is dying!'_

Spock almost instantly put a stop to that thought train; he needed to worry at the task at hand. He was the first officer of the Starship_ Enterprise_, which meant he was second in command, if the captain could not perform his duties-

'_Do you know what that means, Spock?! Oh, of course, the first officer of the Enterprise knows!'_

Spock blinked, as if trying to focus on one thing; he was needed on the bridge. The alarming noise that echoed painfully in his ears clearly told him that, it reminded his logic, and his logic reminded him that he had duties to execute, and his shipmates were standing readily to receive his orders. He needed to lead because the crew needed a leader. And Kirk was-

'…_it will be painful…'_

Spock quickened his pace, almost as if he were trying to run from his thoughts. He stepped on to the elevator and quickly ordered, "Bridge." The elevator responded by swiftly closing its doors and began moving towards the destination. Spock grabbed onto a handle, which was unnecessary, but he enjoyed the comfort of the support. Support was often something he did not get when he was called to lead. Especially when he was leading a bunch of emotional and illogical humans who feel-

'…_there is no sedative I can give him that will be able to numb it…'_

Spock had a feeling of disgust wash over him. What was so great about emotions? They are unnecessary and cause illogical decisions. From his observations, they only seemed to bring pain in the end. The elevator doors opened swiftly making a small noise that snapped him back to his current situation. Everyone on the bridge looked toward the elevator with growing relief. Spock acknowledged them with a small nod of his head then started to walk over to his station and asked, "What is the situation?"

"Keptin! Look!" Chekov quickly answered, turning around in his chair expecting Kirk; and came face-to-face with anything but that, "Oh, my apologies, sir."

Spock did not care that Chekov had mistaken him for Kirk. He was more interested at where they had arrived. The viewing screen revealed a giant black hole that had a blinding white center. Spock squinted at this sight for a brief moment, trying to determine what exactly this thing was and how much it threatened the ship. He grabbed the balcony and jumped over the bar with little difficulty, landing near his science station. He looked into his machine, trying to figure out what the composition was of this thing but the machine could not determine without getting closer. The pressure to make a decision about that thing was on him and him alone.

'…_You will be all alone…'_

Spock tensed. He looked down at the ground, realizing his responsibility. He looked up and asked, "Lt. Sulu, can we get any closer?"

"Sir, I am afraid that we are moving closer as we speak."

Chekov then added, "That is why we signaled the red alert! We are moving closer and kinnot break from its grawitational pull!"

Spock walked over to the intercom, "Bridge to Engineering."

"Scot… here." The engineer replied, out of breath.

"Mr. Scot, what is our current situation?"

"She is going at Warp Seven but it still isn't enough to break from that thing's pull. I have been personally running and calibrating the engines myself."

"How much can the ship take?"

"Well, the engines are stressed enough as it is, but I might be able to get them to pull off Warp Nine-"

"Commence to do so."

"But, Sir, we won't be able to sustain that Warp for very long."

"Understood. Spock out."

Spock had not taken his eyes off of the viewing screen during this time, he was studying the thing very hard, searching his brain for an answer. He had several theories, but they were untested and therefore, untrustworthy. _Judging from its gravitational pull and appearance, it has the characteristics of being a black hole. But a black hole would not have a white center like that. It could possibly be a white hole…No. A white hole would be repelling us, not attracting us…could it be a wormhole? It looks as if it might be a __Schwarzschild wormhole__, but those are only theories, no one has ever proven its existence. Logically-_

'…_logic can't stop death…'_

Spock snapped his head toward his station, and proceeded over, looking into his machine one more time. It was no use.

* * *

There was a long silence in sickbay after Spock exited; the only noise was the red alert, which made the room seem even emptier. McCoy was still slightly ashamed of his words to Spock. He tried to explain himself, "Jim…I didn't mean to-"

Kirk threw him an icy stare, "Bones, I need you to be able to perform at your highest level, not become a train wreck. The same thing that killed those men has now infected me-"

"Actually," McCoy sighed, "it has infected the entire landing party…including me and Spock."

Kirk's eyes grew warm at the name of his two friends, then asked in a more comforting tone, "Then why did the two ensigns die first?"

"Well, I have a theory. The disease seems to travel faster the younger the carrier."

Kirk stared at McCoy, "Why is Spock infected? He is half-"

"Vulcan? I know. But he also is half-human."

"Does that mean he…?"

"Will die?" McCoy finished his question.

Kirk's warm expression transformed into a worried one, he and McCoy were one thing but Spock had a completely different biological setup. Even if they found the cure for themselves, then it might not be able to cure Spock too. McCoy felt Kirk's worry, and decided to try and assure him, "Jim, the possibility of Spock dying is very slim. His body is working like normal, but he does have the same thing in his body. It just seems to be dormant."

"But…that isn't the case with us?"

"No, as I said before, this thing will destroy our whole bodies if left untouched…just like it destroyed those men on the planet."

"How long?"

McCoy sighed, "It is hard to say, but at its current rate of development, we will be dead in five days."

Kirk was silent, death always took a hard toll on him, and he didn't like to face the death of one of his crewman and certainly didn't want to face it himself. But he had faith in McCoy, the doctor had always pulled threw in jams like this one. He could certainly pull threw now, "I am sure you will find the cure." And smiled at McCoy, reassuring him everything was going to be alright.

But Kirk had a dark feeling in the bottom of his gut that everything was not going to be alright.

* * *

"Mr. Spock!" Chekov shouted.

Spock barely had time to turn around before the whole ship bucked, and he was thrown five feet into the air. Despite his earlier performances, he landed with a loud harsh crash to the floor, but everyone on the bridge had been tossed from their stations also. Spock leaped to his feet and ran to the front controls, "Sulu, Chekov! What happened?!"

"We are heading into the center!"

Then Scottie's voice came on threw the intercom, "Engineering to Bridge! Engineering to-"

Spock quickly responded, sensing the panic in the undertone, "Spock here."

"Mr. Spock! One engine has failed! Another two are starting to give out! And, wait! Don't put that there!..."

The intercom became silent and Spock tried to reestablish a connection, "Mr. Scot?"

"Mr. Spock!" Chekov once again shouted.

Then the whole ship tossed again, this one more sudden and much more violent. Chekov was thrown into the balcony, Sulu was catapulted behind the captain's chair, and Spock flew over the desk and hit his head against the viewing screen, causing a loud crack. Spock started to get up, but found it took him more energy than normal. He raised his hand slowly to his forehead and when he brought down his hand, it was covered in green.

Green blood.

He scanned the viewing screen to find a rough circle of it missing from before. He attempted to get up once again, and with more effort than he would have liked, he made it back to the front controls.

"Sulu, Chekov…Sulu? Chekov?..."

There was no answer.

"...Bridge?..."

Spock glanced around the room to find that everyone had been knocked unconscious. He instantly took control of the bridge, stumbling from front controls to his science station to the phaser controls, trying to do the jobs meant for ten separate people. He hoped over his shipmates' bodies, cautious not to step on anyone. But the hole was pulling them into its glowing center.

And Spock could not stop it.

He heard the cracking of the ship under the intense pressure; he heard the engines roaring with effort, working to keep the Enterprise from being sucked into that abyss just like Spock was trying. But the engines could not perform their task, and under intense pressure they started to give out. Spock could feel the Enterprise being pulled closer and closer to an uncertain fate, and he could not predict if they would survive. He would fight to save this ship and the people aboard, his shipmates, his captain, all of it.

The last engine then failed, causing the ship to curve towards the center of the glowing hole almost instantly. The sudden change in movement once again project Spock's body like a ragdoll against the viewing screen. His impact cracked the screen again, this time sending shards of glass into the Vulcan. Then he was hurled to the floor, sending the glass shards deeper into his wounds. Spock gasped for the breath that was knocked out of him, and once again tried to get back to his duty.

_I am the first officer, I must run the ship if the captain is not able…I…must…_

But Spock could not get up, just like the engines, his body was about to give out. The stress on the engines was like the stress on his body, and both could not perform at those extreme levels for extended amounts of time.

Spock saw the inside of the glowing hole, which illuminated the bridge. Billions of colors, which Spock had never seen, shined and swirled in a peaceful and calming harmony, contrasting to his current environment. He didn't notice his hearing was starting to fade, or that the blood from his head was starting to run into his eyes. He just noticed the glowing and dancing colors of the hole, and felt a warm feeling come over his body.

_Ironic…it is beautiful…_

That was the last thing the Vulcan felt before unconsciousness washed over his mind.

* * *

McCoy did not remember when he lost consciousness. He only remembered the ship moving like a rollercoaster, the shattering of his flasks and test tubes, the countless calls from all decks for medical assistance, and then darkness. Confusion hit him hard when he first opened his eyes, because he did not know why he was on the floor of sickbay. He slowly raised himself into a sitting position, rubbing his temples to try to dissipate the major ache banging around in his head. He looked around to find that the sickbay had been trashed and his personnel were on the floor as he had been moments earlier.

It was eerily quiet.

Then a voice came on the intercom, "Bridge to Sickbay."

McCoy's confusion prevented him from responding immediately, but he managed to get over to the intercom, "Spock? Is that you?...What the hell happened? One minute I was fine and the next thing I know I am being tossed around like a baseball then…nothing! I thought you knew how to command a damn starship."

"Yes…it seems that the ship went through…some kind of hole…"

"Hole? What kind of hole?"

"I cannot be certain…but I think we went through a… wormhole… and we have now arrived at a foreign planet."

"Wormhole? I thought those didn't exist."

"There has not been any proof…to a wormhole's existence, but I cannot find any other way…to explain it…"

McCoy felt the urge to press the Vulcan even harder on his logic, but he became alarmed at the way Spock was talking, he didn't sound like his normal self.

"Doctor, I need to send several crewmen to the sickbay."

McCoy could hear the moans and chatter of the bridge in the background, before McCoy reply he heard Chekov's voice, "Meester Spock! What happened to your head?! Oh my, that green everywhere…that is your blood?! It is everywhere!! Meester Spock?!"

"Spock, what is going on?"

"Nothing, Doctor, I assure you… Chekov is suffering from shock, but he is preparing to report to Sickbay."

McCoy was not reassured, even though he knew Chekov was prone to get excited more easily than some of his shipmates, Chekov always had a valid reason. "Spock, I think you better come down here, too."

"That will not be necessary, Doctor…You have our injured shipmates to attend to… and I am needed in my field right now…I assure you, I am fine. Spock out."

McCoy hated when Spock undermined his medical view on things. _That Vulcan thinks his logic is always right, well, dammit, I am a doctor and my knowledge can be just as useful. Thick-headed son of a bitch. He cant hide the fact that even he needs assistance sometimes…He is trying to keep me distracted by giving me patients, eh? Well, we will see what happens when I see and treat all of these people in record time!_

McCoy realized he had patients coming to the Sickbay, and started to tidy up the place, waking his personnel as he went.

* * *

Kirk walked onto the bridge, fully motivated to find out what had happened to his ship. He looked around and noticed everything had been thrown from its original places, the viewing screen had been cracked, shards of glass were everywhere. Chekov and Sulu were figuring out which controls still worked, Uhura was trying to hail Starfleet command, and only Scottie's legs were seen since he was buried under the panels fixing hundreds of wires. Kirk walked over to his chair and as he sat down, he felt something in the seat. He quickly sprang up in surprise and when he turned around, he saw that tribble he had given to Uhura.

"Ah, Uhura, I thought I asked you to watch this one." He picked the tribble up and dangled it in front of her.

Uhura smiled in delight, "Oh, Captain! You found Kerry!

"Kerry, Uhura?"

"Yes, Kerry."

"Well…keep Kerry out of my chair from now on. Thank you." Kirk dropped the tribble on Uhura's station. "Okay, men, what happened while I was away?"

"Well, Sir, we were pulled into some hole of sorts. And now we have arrived at this planet." Sulu said.

"Hole? What kind of hole?"

"Dunno, Sir. Spock said it was most likely a wormhole."

"And the planet?"

"Dunno that either. Our sensors are broken and after being sucked into that hole, it is no telling where we are in the universe right now."

"Uhura, any response from Starfleet Command?"

"No, Sir…I am getting an open channel but no one is responding." Uhura replied.

"Okay, keep trying." Kirk started to walk and take in the situation. "Scottie, what about the ship?"

"Capt'n, we had the engines going at Warp Nine for much too long a period. They gave out and now we are going on emergency power, he can keep orbit for a few days but wee wont be able to break out unless I can get them fixed."

"Can you do that, Scottie?"

"Sir, the di-lithium crystals are burnt up. I would need new ones to replace them."

"Can we get new ones, Scottie?"

"Only if there are di-lithium mines on that planet." The engineer said with a somewhat sarcastic tone.

"Well, I will organize a landing party and personally go down myself to investigate, Mr. Scot. That means the ship is yours. I am sure you will take good care of her."

Scottie smiled, "Aye, Sir. You'll have no problem with that!"

Kirk began to wander, thinking about the stress of putting the ship and its crew back into perfect health. He felt like he could use something to comfort him and without realizing it, he was headed for Spock's station.

But Spock was not at his station.

Kirk glanced around the room, looking for his first officer, but he was not on the bridge. Kirk walked over to his chair once again and then asked, "Where is Spock?"

Chekov glanced back toward the captain with an uneasy look on his face and then stared toward the viewing screen again, "He said he was going to his quarters, Keptin…" He then turned and, with eyes full of concern, looked at Kirk straight in the face, "Keptin…it was awful!…Look! The blood!"

Chekov pointed to the ground in front of the viewing screen and followed a trail back to the elevator, Kirk's eyes grew big in realization. "That is Spock's blood?!"

"Aye, Keptin…he…was cut…all over…and his head…"

"Did he report to Sickbay?"

"No, Sir. He kept on insisting he was fine."

"How can someone know they are fine when they loose that much blood?" Kirk did not wait for an answer to that question as he quickly exited the bridge, heading for the place that Spock had gone.

* * *

The dim room was only lit by computer screens, monitoring a billion actions occurring on the surface of the planet. Each computer screen had a different man controlling and observing what information the computer gave him. One young man stared in disbelief at his screen for a minute before calling out, "Boss, you might want to check this out."

An individual walked over and replied, "What is it this time? I am a busy man."

"Sir, it is a starship!"

"Starship? I did not receive anything about a starship coming here. Is it Klingon?"

"No…I think it must be foreign or something, called the _Enterprise_…"

"What?! Are you sure about that?"

"Yes, Sir."

The boss looked down and murmured to himself, "Hmm…it might be Kirk…but how could he get his hands on an entire starship?...and how did he manage to get the _Enterprise_?...I thought all the earth starships were destroyed…maybe not…"

"Sir, what should we do?"

"Tell the unit that was going to go on patrol today that their objectives have changed. They are to come with me."

"Where are you going, Sir?"

"Since that ship has no coordinates for beam down, they will most likely have to beam down to the area which they are orbiting over to ensure their safety. I am going to that area."

* * *

Kirk, Chekov, and a science assistant materialized on the planet's surface, and began immediately investigating their surroundings. Chekov went over to Kirk, "Keptin…did you talk to Spock?"

"No, Chekov. He wasn't in his quarters and the captain of a starship doesn't have time to hunt down a single person on a starship." Kirk said with a bitter tone. Kirk, not wishing to be asked about Spock, briskly walked in the opposite direction of the curious Russian.

_Yes, a captain doesn't have time to search down his friend…especially if he isn't where he said he would be…or the other places that he usually resides…oh, no captain needs to see any person that much. Nope. I don't have time to search for Mr. Spock…even though, I don't have time to do a lot of things too…and unless Bones can find a cure for this pain, then I won't have a lot of time left period…I can't believe Spock would get hurt and not report it to me. Doesn't he know I can help him? That silly Vulcan is probably sitting somewhere trying to bandage himself up alone…He should have known by now that he doesn't need to be alone. He has got me…and McCoy and even the crew of the Enterprise. But that guy has been alone for most of his life, I guess it might be hard for him to adjust to having someone who will be there always, like me…but what if I die? Then will he be all alone again?…look at me, I am flattering myself…Spock has survived without me before, and he would survive without me if I…left him…I guess I got to face it sometime…that is not surprising, not everyone views me the same way I view them…_

Kirk became so involved in his own thoughts, not aware he was moving away from the whole landing party.

* * *

But Kirk was not the only one lost in his thoughts. The science assistant had also left the group, eager to gather information about the environment from his surroundings. He was ambitious, if he could gather enough information, then he could get a promotion. But he was so eager to get attention and status that he wasn't watching his surroundings. When he looked up, he found himself at the edge of a forest, "Wow, I must have gone farther than I thought. I should probably get going…"

But a deep voice came from the shadows, "You are going nowhere."

The assistant stopped dead in his tracks, because he recognized that voice.

And out of the bushes came several men, all restraining the startled assistant, preventing him from running away. The boss then emerged from the shadows, sauntering over to the gaping assistant.

"Well, well. What do we have here? A blue-shirted trespasser?" he walked closer to look at the emblem, "So, you are a scientist then? Well, all the better. I am also a scientist."

The assistant did not take his wide eyes off of the boss.

The boss raised an eyebrow towards the assistant and gave a little smile, "Oh? Do I look familiar to you? Perhaps you remember me from somewhere?"

"Sir, can we just kill him already?" asked a man holding down the assistant.

"Not so fast, I want that uniform." The boss replied.

The men immediately forced the clothes off of the assistant, handing them over to their boss, until the assistant was standing there in his underwear. The boss took the blue uniform and started to head into a closed-off area for privacy to change into the clothes he had just obtained.

It was the first tight clothes he had worn in years, and felt a little uncomfortable at first and moved more stiffly; but being in that uniform brought about an underlying excitement that had been buried in him. He was wearing the uniform of the _Enterprise,_ he was going to meet the captain of the_ Enterprise _again. But it was not the _Enterprise_ he remembered, not the _Enterprise_ he once served dutifully on. Circumstances were different now and he knew things had changed. He began to walk back to his gang and heard the struggles of the outnumbered and overpowered assistant and decided that he would be merciful to the poor frightened fellow.

"Kill him." He ordered.

_But different circumstances or not, I will find you Kirk._

_And make you pay for what you did to me._

_

* * *

_

A/N: Okay just curious, does anybody already know who 'the boss' is? And what planet they have arrived to? If not, then don't worry, because all will be revealed in the next chapter! Which since i had been gone so very long, i will try to finish by the end of this week. And man, Spock takes a beating in this one, but sadly that is nothing compared to what is gonna happen when he- WAIT. i have said too much *runs off*


	4. We Enjoy Warmth

McCoy collapsed back into his office chair, then leaned forward pressing his face into his palms. He had spent all of the day seeing patients, bandaging them up.

_What a day! That ' wormhole' affected half of the ship! Two hundred and something people! …  
_

McCoy lifted his face from his palms and leaned back in his chair, looking at the ceiling. He recalled the conversation him and Chekov had earlier, when Chekov was getting checked.

"_Well, you banged your head nicely, Mr. Chekov, but nothing an ice patch and regulating shot won't fix." McCoy flashed a small doctor's grin. _

"_Aye, thank you, Docktir" Chekov said almost absent-mindedly, "Docktir? Has Meester Spock come to see you?"_

_McCoy looked up from his chart, "No."_

_Chekov squirmed on the table, "Docktir…it was awful!_

_McCoy grabbed Chekov by the side and calmly said, "Pavel, calm down! Maybe that emergency affected you mentally more than I-"_

"_How can one stand it? To be so beat up? So sliced?"_

"_Chekov, if Mr. Spock has not come to see me, then I am sure he is not in any need of medical attention."_

"…_How much blood do we have, Docktir?"_

"_Anywhere from fourteen to eighteen pints."_

"_And how much do we have to loose before we die?"_

"_Well, it is usually three or four pints."_

"…_And Vulcans? …"_

"_Vulcan bodies are adapted for more extreme conditions than human bodies, Chekov. I imagine it would take three times the amount to kill a Vulcan."_

"_And what if that Vulcan is also half-human?"_

_McCoy did not have an answer for that question, "If you are referring to Spock, you must understand that he is somewhat…how to put it…an oddball. But his physical anatomy is Vulcan, so I would expect it to behave that way."_

"_But what if you are wrong?" _

McCoy closed his eyes in contemplation; he could hear that question repeat over and over in his head, haunting him. McCoy mused aloud, "I don't know…I just don't know."

"Do not know what, Doctor?" a voice inquired..

McCoy jumped out of his chair at the sound of the unexpected voice, only to thump his thigh on the bottom of his desk. He quickly turned to face the visitor who had come into his office, already irritated at him, "Will you at least knock before entering, God damnit!"

"I apologize, Doctor McCoy, my intentions were not to startle you." Spock replied.

McCoy was startled, but not only at his entrance. "Spock…Your head-"

"Yes, it seems that it was unfortunately hit during the time when the ship was-"

"Yeah, yeah, wormholes. Got it. You grab a seat over there and I will be right with you." McCoy interrupted. He left the room and went to the stock cabinets to grab some disinfectant and a patch. He went back to surprisingly find Spock obediently waiting for him in the chair. McCoy put disinfectant on the wound but commented, "Spock...this is really deep, and how did it happen?"

Spock hesitated, "It seems I was thrown into the viewing screen."

McCoy drew back his lip, "This is a pretty nasty cut, why didn't you come to see me sooner?"

"I was healing my other wounds, Doctor." Spock pulled up his sleeves to show tiny areas of green irritation, the remnants of his mutilation.

McCoy grew wide-eyed at Spock's forearms, "My God man, how many cuts did you get?!"

"Two hundred –twenty one."

McCoy rolled his eyes at Spock, and his failure to understand the statement. "Nevermind…Well, there ya go! All done."

Spock rose from his seat, "Your expertise in your field is impeccable, Doctor. I thank you."

McCoy just waved him away, "Yeah, yeah. Just come see me earlier next time."

Spock raised an eyebrow and started to argue his position, but another thought crossed his mind, "Doctor… How is Jim?"

McCoy sighed, "Well… He was well enough to lead a landing party so…"

Spock's eyes looked at McCoy intensely, "He beamed down to the surface?"

McCoy was surprised at Spock's question. "You didn't know?...Actually I was surprised when you walked in my office, because I thought Jim would have asked you to beam down with him."

"I guess you were mistaken, Doctor." Spock replied.

McCoy threw him a glance, partly curious partly concerned. The way he said those words seemed odd, almost like there was some emotion hidden in them. Spock felt McCoy's stare and averted his eyes for a second, pulling them back only when he was sure they would not give him away. McCoy grinned because he had caught Spock giving him a glimpse of his emotions, which he always found amusing if nothing else. But he turned back to his desk, shuffling through the paperwork from the lab, remembering that he had an antidote to find.

Spock sensed that their conversation had ended and proceeded to leave sickbay. He walked briskly down the hall, entering the elevator, and briefly ordering, "Bridge."

_If a landing party is already on the surface, then I will have to decipher the information gathered from the scientists. It is important that I use those findings to determine where we have arrived, especially if there is a landing party already on the surface. We do not know if the planet is host to hostile creatures and the safety of the landing party is first priority. _

The doors of the elevator opened, and Spock quickly exited and traveled to his station at a faster pace than normal. A few people on the bridge looked at him, still concerned about his previous injuries. But Spock didn't acknowledge them, he grabbed his machine to discover what information it had gathered from the atmosphere. Then he moved over to the star charts, comparing their star patterns to the chart. Within minutes, he found the galaxy in which they now presided. But the star charts did not match up correctly to their current star patterns.

"That is odd."

Sulu overheard Spock's thought and asked, "Something wrong, Sir?"

"Yes, these star charts do not match up to our current star patterns. It is ever so slightly, but it is evident."

"Who charted this area, Sir?"

"We did, Mr. Sulu."

"It is possible that our machinery was not in working condition?"

And Scottie overheard that remark, "Now, hold on, Mr. Sulu. We ran a practice test before performing any charting. And we never charted an area without checking to make sure everything was in order. So it couldn't have been the machinery."

"Thank you, Mr. Scot. But I am sure Mr. Sulu didn't mean to sound as if he doubted your abilities as an engineer." Spock calmed the engineer.

"That is right, Sir. I am just curious to how the charts and the patterns don't match up now."

"Well, it seems the stars are now located where they were predicted to travel."

"Sir, I assume you know where we are then?"

"Well, according to the data I have been given, it would be most logical to assume that the planet we have arrived at is a future Halka."

"Halka? But, Sir, that planet is two galaxies over from where we were!"

"Yes, Mr. Sulu, I already know that. But if we assume it was a wormhole that we went through earlier, then arriving in another galaxy would appear logical. After all, wormholes were theorized to be…what do you humans call it?… a 'shortcut' across the universe…However, it seems we have also traveled to the future."

"Wow, Halka? We are in luck! The Halkans are very peaceful people! And it's a Class M planet!"

Scottie chimed in, "They also have di-lithium mines! Praise to the saints!"

"You two are assuming that this is in fact the same Halka that we visited before, when that may not be the case. Since we traveled through that wormhole, we do not know how it was affected us or our surroundings." Spock calmly replied.

"Sir, have you checked with the scientists on the ground?"

"I was about to attempt to contact the surface when you asked me a question, Mr. Sulu."

Sulu, feeling scolded, murmured under his breath, "Sorry I asked."

Spock ignored Sulu's last comment, too focused on contacting the landing party. He grabbed his tricorder pack and moved to Uhura's station.

"Uhura, can you establish communications with the landing party?"

"Yes, Sir… Enterprise to landing party, this is Uhura. Come in landing party."

"Enterprise, this is Chekov."

Spock placed his tricorder pack on Uhura's desktop, "Mr. Chekov, this is Spock. Are you with the rest of the landing party?"

"Eh…no, Sir. It seems I was separated from the others."

"How many are on the surface with you?"

"It is me, the keptin, and a science assistant."

"Have you attempted to contact the others?"

"Aye, Sir. I contacted the captain and am on my way to re-group with him."

"What about the science assistant?"

"I…lost contact with him."

Spock became alarmed; two separated shipmates were almost sitting ducks to an enemy. "We will attempt to contact the science assistant. But Mr. Chekov, how far until you re-group with the captain?"

"About five kilometers, heading south."

"Continue, and keep open communications. Spock out."

Uhura looked up at Spock, "Sir, Chekov is right. I am getting no response from the science assistant. What should I do?"

"Try the captain." Spock ordered.

"Enterprise to Captain Kirk. Come in Captain."

It was silent for a second, causing Spock to lean forward, listening intently for a response.

Spock quickly snatched his tricorder pouch that he had laid on Uhura's desktop for a brief second, not realizing that a certain stowaway had crawled inside.

* * *

Kirk was only lost in his thoughts, until he looked up and realized that he had become in the area as well. He cursed sunder his breath, and looked around for any sign of the landing party. Not seeing any, he snapped out his communicator, contacting Chekov. He ordered the young Russian to come into contact with the third member of their party and regroup with him.

_Ah, I cant believe that we got separated. I should have been more careful, I don't need to loose any more members of this crew. This voyage has already taken so many…such brave curious individuals with a goal to explore and better the universe…so many…I haven't heard from Spock since he left the Sickbay, I hope he is alright…I don't know what I would if I didn't have him around criticizing my illogical behavior…_

Kirk let out a small laugh, then heard his communicator beep.

"Enterprise, this is Captain Kirk."

"Captain, are you okay?" Spock quickly inquired.

"Yes, I am fine. How about yourself, Mr. Spock?" Kirk replied warmly.

"Captain, I am beaming down to the surface."

"No, Spock, I cannot spare any more men than necessary down here."

"But, Captain, we have discovered that the planet is Halka."

"Halka? The peaceful planet?"

"From our previous encounters, they were peaceful, but we have lost contact of one of the members of the landing party for an unexplained reason, Captain. It is possible that this Halka is not the Halka we know. "

"Explain, Mr. Spock."

"No time, Captain. It is much too dangerous for you to be alone any longer. I can explain when I beam down."

"Spock, I said I cannot afford to send-"

Spock's voice grew soft, "Please, Jim."

"…Alright…" Kirk begrudgingly complied.

"I am preparing to beam down now. Spock out."

Kirk pushed a branch out of his way, and smiled at his behavior. He had been worried about Spock and Spock had been worried about him.

_I guess some things never change. _

* * *

Miles away from the landing party, a group of young Halkans ran into a camp settlement, moving throughout the people until they reach several elders sitting in a tent.

"Elders! The Shikahrs are not following their patrol schedule." Spurted out of the younger guys.

"What? They stick by their schedule religiously. The only changes that happen are ordered by the boss himself." An elder said.

"Yes, Sir, we know. And we think something big has happened."

"Yes, indeed. Something big must have happened. Send out a unit to go explore this situation further."

"But...."

"But what, my child?"

"The Shikahr leader is also out."

"What?!"

"…Yes…I saw him with my own eyes…I saw his cold eyes…his…" the younger guy trembled.

"Shh, my child. You do not have to speak of him. We all know his evils…But that does change the situation now."

"What should we do, Sir?"

"Tell the First Lieutenant to take his group out then. But this is purely a stealth mission."

"Yes, Sir."

* * *

The nature on Halka contained superior beauty in M class planets. Beautiful arrays of brightly colored birds perched on the high intertwined branches of the tallest trees, small delicate vines hosted flowers that gave off the most enticing scents, waterfalls cascaded down steep cliffs to land into small crystal ponds with smooth rounded stones and jewels on the shore. Jewels were not valued on Halka and therefore, left untouched. Crystals grew from the ground, lighting up at night like fireflies. Mushrooms grew to the size of a small tree, providing nice benches for the animal life, which ranged from the petite mouse lizards to the tiger eagle griffons.

It was mystical and beautiful, but it appeared that Halkan nature did not like Russians all too much.

Chekov stumbled out of a bush, pulling baby porcupine chipmunks from his clothing. In just three miles of jungle, he had lost his left boot in quicksand, got attacked by a wolf cat, caught his hair in some low lying branches, and fallen into a nest of baby porcupine chipmunks. Therefore, he was scratched, bitten, bruised and overwhelmed.

_Ah…where is the keptin? If I don't find him soon…I might have to hang myself with these godforsaken wines…my shirt is all ripped and stained…I think I understand how the keptin feels now, haha…I shouldn't be laughing at that, at least he never lost his boots…what is quicksand doing in the jungle anyway?…ouch, these creatures will be the death of me…well, it seems I have reached a field…so open and calm…is that the city I see? …Wow, it is so deweloped and modern now_… _it seems so busy…like a regular city…Oh! The keptin! I see him! I see him! …Oh, but wait…Meester Spock is just now approaching him…it seems I was too late…Oh well, mebbe if I approach quietly, I can hear what they are saying…especially since there seemed to be tension between them earlier…_

And with those thoughts, Chekov crouched down low and proceeded through the tall grass until he was within twenty feet of Kirk. He settled himself nicely in the tall grass, and listened intently. He heard Spock approach and Kirk friendly greet him, "Well, Mr. Spock you continue to amaze me, you seemed to have found me rather quickly."

He heard Spock reply, "Well…_Captain,_ I am a rather efficient Vulcan."

"Well, aren't all Vulcans that way, Spock?" Kirk teased.

Spock was silent.

"Hey, listen, Spock, I am only teasing. I heard you took the _Enterprise_ through quite a trip. Chekov was worried about your injuries, but…you don't seem to have all those injuries he described."

"Vulcans are fast healers, _Captain_."

"Well, it would appear that way! I guess I was worried over nothing."

"_You _were worried about _me_?"

Kirk was silent for a moment, "Of course…Listen, Spock, you are my first officer…but before that, you are my…friend…and I will always care for my friends…Are you okay, Spock? … You seem a little off."

"Oh, you have no idea, _Captain._"

"Spock? What is it? Your eyes look…different…"

"I imagine looking into the eyes of your murderer is different." Spock replied coldly.

"What?"

* * *

Spock materialized on the planet surface, wincing with pain as the sunlight hit him. After hours of meditation, his body was sensitive to light and movement. But nevertheless, he beamed down to find and protect the captain. It was his job as the first officer,.

But he felt deep inside, there was another reason urging him forward.

Spock examined the area with a glance; but, he did not see the captain in sight. He observed the angles of the ground and determined the perfect area that would provide a great spot to survey the whole area since he was standing at the bottom of a hill. Spock moved quickly, jumping and swerving over rocks and obstacles until he was stationed at the top of the hill. He could now see the area surrounding him easily, he was on the edge of a hilly section with a tall grass meadow surrounding it. On one end of the meadow was a jungle and the other end hosted a jungle.

"Fascinating."

Spock caught sight of Captain Kirk, but he was hesitant to move. He saw the blue uniform of the _Enterprise_ but did not see the individual's face, but it was logical to assume that was the science assistant. And he was talking with Kirk.

_That is odd… We could not contact him with the ship nor could Chekov. I wonder what happened to him, he must have a great deal to share with-_

His thoughts were abruptly cut short because the calm and friendly look on Kirk's face drastically changed.

Something was not right.

Spock's suspicions were confirmed when he saw the science assistant raise his hand to Kirk's face and his other to his shoulder. That was no human.

No human could perform the Vulcan Tormenting Sword Grip.

Spock sprang down the side of the hill, using all his energy to move forward, not taking his eyes off of Kirk and the blue-shirted imposter. He saw Kirk writhe in agony; he saw the pain in his eyes. Spock understood the betrayal of any of Kirk's crew would devastate him. But Spock did not think the pain reflected in his eyes would be so intense from the discovery of a regular crewman being a traitor. But that did not matter at this point, what mattered was that the captain must be protected. The traitor began to turn around, where Spock could see his face.

Spock became suddenly frozen in place.

That traitor was no regular crewman.

It was _him. _

Spock was hit by a wave of surprise and fear at the same time. He was not expecting to run into his future self here. But if his future self was here and knocked out Kirk then there was some piece of the puzzle that he was missing. Spock bolted from his statute state, one thing was sure, whether his future self wanted to either harm or help Kirk, then he would be right at his side. It was his job as the first officer.

But there was another reason driving him forward.

The same reason that made him careless.

Spock did not see the trap thirty feet ahead of him, nor did he see it at twenty feet.

Something deep inside urged him to move faster, and faster he went.

Fifteen feet.

Something deep inside whispered that Kirk needed him right now.

Ten feet.

Something deep inside knew that this situation was going to be more trouble than intended.

Five feet.

Something deep inside criticized him for failing.

A soft rustle of grass was all that was heard, then…

Spock dived unexpectedly in a twenty foot drop and slammed against a concrete slab placed at the bottom. His body lay motionless, his head quickly being surrounded by a pool of green, his consciousness quickly fading.

…_Can you forgive me again, Captain?… I didn't mean to fail you…I can't run anymore…Jim…_

Spock laid there undetected, until hours later, when an elite group of halkans and humans would arrive, thinking they had achieved their ultimate goal.

The capture of their enemy's leader.

* * *

A/N: Okay, here it is. Please review and tell me what you think. I will be a dramaticbutt later. I am tired. Night z_z


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